The answer to that questions must be known by the young people in this industry 4.0 era. Because technology is developing rapidly and influencing so many aspects of our life. Not rarely we hear about the layoffs and jobs replaced by robots. So, we must understand and prepare ourselves to face the industry 4.0 era.
I think there are some important things that need to be known, they are:
1. About the industrial revolution 4.0 itself
2. What industrial revolution trends are
3. How can we, as young people, learn from the previous industrial revolution so we can be ready to face the industry 4.0
Before we discuss the industrial revolution 4.0, let's see the application of industrial technology in the industry 4.0.
Application of technologies in the industry 4.0
Do you know that Amazon has used robots to move inventories in their warehouse?
Besides that, Amazon also has Amazon Go, a supermarket without a cashier, where we can take out products and go without queuing and paying in the cashier. All products will be automatically detected and paid online.
There are also many vehicles without driver. For example, taxis without driver that are currently tested.
After seeing those 3 examples above, such as an automated ground vehicle, supermarket without a cashier, a vehicle without a driver, it's undeniable that technology can replace some of the human work. These are just a few examples. There are many other examples where jobs such as bank employees (CNBC), retail (CNN), and even article writers (Forbes) can be replaced by technology. This is just the beginning of technology development in the era of industrial revolution 4.0. So, we can imagine how work will be so different in the future. Automation, working side by side with robots, and real-time communication between machines will be very common.
That means the industry 4.0 will reduce a lot of work?
The answer is yes because some jobs will be replaced with technology. But the answer is also no because with new technology new jobs will emerge. To face this issue, we need to find out and understand the industrial revolution 4.0 so we can be proactive and take advantage of opportunities before us.
One example of industrial 4.0 technology development that had invited controversy was the shared-economy. The shared-economy that my Indonesian friends would know very well is Go-Jek and GRAB platforms. Although previously it had caused chaos when Go-Jek and GRAB disturbed the livelihoods of conventional motorbikes, Go-Jek and GRAB provided new ways of working and even added the income of drivers. For example, Go-Jek has Go-Send and Go-Food which was previously not common or even not available for conventional motorbikes taxi.
A natural and expected thing to happen in every industrial revolution phase.
Not all jobs will be replaced with technology. For example, work that still requires human skills, certainly not very easy to be replaced by technology. However, technology can change the work and how the work is done. There will be the same job but the way it works can be different such as Go-Jek and GRAB riders who are now working using smartphones. There are also new jobs that require even higher level skills in accordance with the technology. For example for a driverless car or train requires a technician who understands the technology. This kind of thing always happens in every industrial revolution. So, let's see what the previous industrial revolution was like.
So, what's the difference between industrial revolution 1, 2, 3, and 4?
Some of you may ask, why are there 1, 2, 3, and 4? to make it easier to understand, I will explain it briefly with the table below.
| Industrial revolution | The industrial revolution marked with... | Description |
| Industrial revolution 1.0 | Steam, water and mechanical equipment are used for production | Work is no longer done manually (using muscle), but mechanically with the help of steam and water. Example: ships used to use wind and human power. With the existence of a steam engine, the ship can work 24 hours, as a result, faster to the destination. |
| Industrial revolution 2.0 | Electric power and assembly/division of labor systems, and mass production | Previously one person worked for 1 car from start to finish. With a system of division of labor, one person only works 1 part of the car then each part is assembled into 1 car by another worker. So that overall process is faster and cheaper. This allows mass production. |
| Industrial revolution 3.0 | Computers and telecommunications are used to automate the production process | The process of making and assembling can be automated and controlled by humans with computers. Emerging software such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and so on, help to make calculations more accurate and the flow of product manufacturing smoother. |
| Industrial revolution 4.0 | The Internet of Things (cyber-physical) brings together physical, digital and biological aspects, machines communicate with each other |
We can see based on the table above that the uncertainty of work also occurs since the industrial revolution 1. Let us explore it together. Before the industrial revolution 1, there was a boat rowing job. The work was eventually replaced with a steam engine. When the boat rowing job was reduced, workers with the expertise to understand about steam engines were increasingly needed. Then we take the example of industrial revolution 3 where machines can assemble cars and human work replaced by engines. Despite the work to assembling cars reduced, the work to control the engine during the assembly, which had never existed before, was popping up
Why do young people have to know about the industrial revolution 4? What is the effect on young people?
At present, we can no longer close our eyes to the changes that occur around us. For example, tablets to order food, and then there will be waiters who deliver food to our table. Sometime in the future, maybe the robot will deliver the food (Business Insider). The industrial revolution 4.0 will change the work and the way we work. In addition, along with the development of industrial technology, there will be a lot of uncertainty in certain jobs. It could be with new technology, our work can be done better and replaced by robots.
In the future (some already felt right now), there will be many large companies that are bothered by the disruptive business model. For example in 2017, the Bluebird company was disrupted by the existence of a Go-Car and GRAB car (Tempo). Not only the company but the work of taxi drivers can also be interrupted such as layoffs on the Express taxi driver.
In addition to this uncertainty, this industrial revolution 4.0 creates a gap between the ability of young people who are ready to work and the conditions needed for the job. So, if young people do not follow and learn new skills according to the technology, it will be left behind and difficult to compete.
Then, what can young people do? - Industry 4.0
There are two basic things that must be done by young people, both those who have not worked and those who have worked, namely lifelong learning and reskilling. In this era of industry 4.0, everyone must implement lifelong learning or the ability and willingness to continue to learn and adapt to new technologies. In addition, we must be willing to reskill or be able to hone and adjust expertise with what the job requires.
For others who haven't worked, there are 4 skills according to
1.Readiness to face the world of work
Basic skills ranging from making CV or resume, presentation skills, time management, professional, and work ethics, etc.
2. Soft Skills
The ability to communicate, interact, and collaborate with other people such as coworkers, clients, and managers. Although in the future we will work side by side with robots, human skills such as creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, adaptation, leadership, and emotional intelligence will not be replaced by machines.
3. Technical Skills
Specific abilities that match the job you want. In the future, even from now on, there are many jobs that require expertise that may not be taught in schools.
4. Entrepreneurial Spirit
The ability to make new ideas, have initiative, innovative, curiosity, optimism, courage. This is very important to compete in the industrial era 4.0.
I'll see you in my next blog post :)
I hope this blog post can be helpful and informative to you. If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to reach out to me. I'll see you in my next one :) Find me on Instagram @willowchand
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